WELCOME TO CHS SOUTH, A VIBRANT AND DIVERSE MIXED COMPREHENSIVE SECONDARY SCHOOL IN MANCHESTER. WE OPENED IN 2018 IN CONJUNCTION WITH CHORLTON HIGH SCHOOL AND NOW OFFER 240 STUDENT PLACES IN EACH YEAR GROUP.
“CHS SOUTH IS A WELCOMING AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY. PUPILS ARE PROUD OF THEIR SCHOOL.”
Ofsted, January 2023
THE PROSPERE LEARNING TRUST
Prospere Learning Trust is a high performing, unique and innovative Manchester based Trust comprising of mainstream high schools and special schools, both primary and secondary. Our ninth school opened in September 2024, with further schools anticipated. We have ambitious plans and work collaboratively between our academies to ensure that all our schools become the ‘best that they can be’.
We have a strong belief in providing every child in the Trust the opportunity to develop the life skills necessary to become confident and successful and happy 21st century citizens, regardless of starting point. Our aim is to provide excellent opportunities for all students based on our commitment to academic rigour whilst providing comprehensive education to all the children in our local communities in a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment.
Our academies are encouraged to develop as their own distinctive institutions, with their own governing bodies, and we believe this is how they can best respond to local need. We do, however, work within a common structure and ethos rooted within the Trust vision.
Good examination results and strong outcomes are the key to providing the best life chances for children. We have a collaborative culture of continuous improvement in all areas across the Trust.
CHS South is part of the Prospere Learning Trust, made up of: Chorlton High School, CHS South, Grange School, Manchester Enterprise Academy, MEA Central, Orchard House High School, Pear Tree High School, Piper Hill High School, Pioneer House High School and Prospect House Primary Specialist Support School.
I am immensely proud to be entrusted with the role of Headteacher at CHS South. For 14 years, I was honoured to contribute to the development of Chorlton High School as a member of the Senior Leadership Team and I passionately believe in our shared ethos of providing an education that allows young people to become creative, happy and successful. By opening CHS South we have ensured more young people in our community have access to an education that not only allows them to achieve academic excellence but also acquire the creative skills necessary to successfully apply their abilities and navigate their way in an ever changing landscape. These efforts were validated with our first Ofsted inspection in January 2023, graded as good, and a very competitive first set of results in our 2023 outcomes.
The delivery model at CHS South is based upon the structures and processes that have successfully delivered outstanding outcomes
at Chorlton High School. We use our knowledge and experience to inform the learning journey at CHS South, ensuring that all of the young people in our care are provided with opportunities to excel and flourish. We also ensure the young people at CHS South have access to a broad and forward thinking enrichment curriculum. We are well positioned to offer a diverse and engaging sports curriculum through our fantastic relationships with the vast array of sports providers in our community. Furthermore our expertise and understanding of the creative arts, an industry growing faster in our local community than anywhere in the UK outside London, ensures our young people are provided with the opportunities to develop and hone their skills in order to become the next generation of creative trailblazers.
AT CHS SOUTH WE SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY TO EMBODY OUR VALUES OF BEING:
CREATIVE HAPPY
An education where imagination, curiosity, and resilience enable us to ignite our learning.
A shared belief that optimism, empathy and responsibility are the foundations for a respectful, safe and inclusive community.
SUCCESSFUL
Individuals who are ready, practise being reflective, and who are motivated to become champions.
WELCOME TO OUR SCHOOL
In September 2021 we opened our brand new, purposebuilt secondary school at Hough End. The building is equipped with state of the art specialist equipment and facilities to support our students on their journey to become creative, happy and successful. Alongside a full range of classrooms equipped with the latest teaching technology including specialist Science, Computing, and Technology rooms, we also boast professional standard Arts facilities including our Theatre, Drama studios, Music classrooms and practice rooms, sprung Dance studio and Art and Photography suites.
The school building is located at the heart of the local sporting community, neighbouring Broughton Rugby Club, Hough End playing fields and Hough End Leisure Centre. Our school contributes a professional standard Sports Hall, Astroturf pitch, basketball and netball courts and table tennis facilities to extend the excellent provision on offer to the local community.
“WE ARE THRILLED WITH THE STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL, IT’S NOT JUST A PLACE OF LEARNING, BUT A NUTURING ENVIRONMENT.
Parental Feedback
AN EDUCATION WHERE IMAGINATION, CURIOSITY AND RESILIENCE ENABLE US TO IGNITE OUR LEARNING.
We believe that these fundamental skills and qualities underpin all career paths and future routes as they provide essential and relevant foundations for future success. Our Arts College origins allow us to provide high quality Arts education for our students and the local community. These experiences and opportunities are enhanced and enriched by a range of masterclasses, workshops and tutorials led by professional and nationally renowned groups.
The Arts is a thriving hotbed of activity with students being able to access and experience a broad and eclectic range of art forms at the highest level. Students regularly perform or exhibit their work in school, as well as in the many professional arts venues across the city to showcase and celebrate their talent.
ENRICHING EXPERIENCES
At CHS South, our aim is to nurture and develop each student. We therefore allow them to take part in a range of enrichment experiences. These not only enable them to develop their learning and foster creativity, but also widen their experiences and open up new horizons and opportunities to discover talents, passions and interests that they may never have considered before.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR LEARNING
Extra-curricular activities are an important and exciting feature of school life and contribute enormously to our students’ social and academic development. There is an extensive menu of free extra-curricular activities on offer with opportunities to take part in workshops, field trips and research. We also offer students the chance to experience different cultures through our range of visits to educational venues linked to curricular areas. We intend our students to readily enjoy these experiences and relish the unique opportunities that they are given to extend and expand their learning.
CHS South also boosts an impressive sports provision. Students benefit from working with professional coaches and athletes at a range of professional venues. We also field teams in a range of sports and students participate regularly in competitions and tournaments, competing at city wide and regional levels.
“PRACTICAL LEARNING HAS MADE MY CHILD MORE CURIOUS.”
A SHARED BELIEF THAT OPTIMISM, EMPATHY AND RESPONSIBILITY ARE THE FOUNDATIONS FOR A RESPECTFUL, SAFE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY.
Good behaviour and achievement is recognised through our comprehensive rewards system and students are encouraged to be champions for each other and act as ready, respectful & safe community members.
A culture of respect is also actively promoted throughout the school. Our anti-bullying policy establishes the right for every child to feel safe and self-assured; making it clear that any behaviour deliberately causing upset will not be tolerated. It promotes mutual respect between students, which encourages confidence in talking openly.
Our students play a major part in developing and shaping our school. The representatives of our students council directly influence school improvements and meet regularly to discuss issues and priorities and to make a contribution to the school, Trust and wider community.
Student focus groups actively develop school policies; are involved in the appointments of key members of staff; and are consulted at subject level about all aspects of their learning.
We are also committed to preparing young people to be healthy, responsible citizens of the future. We
actively teach our nine Qualities of Success to help our young people grow to be mature, well-rounded and resilient citizens. Our school also has a team of student wellbeing ambassadors, as well as holding the Heathy Schools award. Our PSHE curriculum is also central to the development of these personal skills and raises awareness of many global, local and personal issues, equipping each student with some of the tools that they will need in later life.
We celebrate and champion diversity in our school community as exemplified in our journey to obtain the Race Charter Mark and Rainbow Flag Award.
THE PASTORAL EXPERIENCE
Each student at CHS South is carefully assigned to a mixed ability Tutor Group. The Form Tutor sees students every morning and is a consistent point of contact, taking responsibility for academic welfare and maintaining communication with parents. Form Tutors develop a close relationship with their Tutees and have the clearest overview of progress, guidance and academic achievement. Each Year Group is led by a Pastoral Team who have overall responsibility for the well-being of students in their Year Group. They are also responsible for monitoring the progress of students and work with Tutors to promote good attendance, positive behaviour and a vibrant community spirit.
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE READY, PRACTISE BEING REFLECTIVE, AND WHO ARE MOTIVATED TO BECOME CHAMPIONS.
CHS South staff work in partnership with students, parents and carers, and other stakeholders to personalise learning so that all individuals are equipped with the skills, qualifications and confidence that they need to succeed in their choice of further education or employment. Our goal is to create lifelong learners who are fulfilled and successful.
THE CURRICULUM
The CHS South curriculum emulates the curriculum of Chorlton High School to enable the school to follow a proven path to success. All students follow an informed, broad and balanced curriculum, which will stretch and challenge but also provide the scaffolding to ensure that students achieve and exceed their potential. At Key Stage 3 this curriculum is underpinned by high quality provision in English, Mathematics, Science, Modern Foreign Languages, History, Geography, RE, Computing, a range of Technology subjects, Art, Drama, Dance, Music, PSHE and PE, giving students a varied and stimulating daily diet of lessons and experiences. As students move into Year 9, they begin to shape their own learning pathways by selecting an elective subject in the Arts to hone their learning.
Upon beginning Key Stage 4, students continue their study of the compulsory core subjects of English, Maths, Science, RE, PSHE, & PE. Alongside these compulsory subjects’ students will personalise their learning by undertaking further qualifications in Arts, Humanities, Modern Foreign Languages and one other option subject. The additional concentrated time in these lessons will enable them to master the subject and foster a deeper conceptual understanding. This will build powerful knowledge which ensures that all students are sufficiently challenged according to their starting points, and grasp the key concepts needed for high-level success as they progress through Years 10 & 11.
At CHS South, we pride ourselves on meeting the needs of our students motivating them to achieve through our rich and engaging curriculum. Our curriculum is rigorous and challenging; creative and inspiring; diverse
and wide ranging; perfect for the vibrant and varied range of students we teach.
ASSESSMENT
Our students are placed in teaching groups best suited to allow staff to personalise learning and meet individual needs based on the information we receive from Primary School and our initial baseline assessments; this enables our teachers to innovate, motivate, challenge and inspire whilst still providing appropriate levels of support. Teachers assess students’ work thoroughly, ensuring that they make striking progress. Our curriculum structure allows for flexibility and we facilitate group changes where necessary so that students are appropriately challenged and supported as they progress through their learning.
In addition to this we ask pupils in years 7-10 to complete two summative assessments in the spring and summer terms, to help measure the students’ academic performance throughout the year. The results are used to provide insights into the effectiveness of the curriculum and will also provide subject leaders with data to inform setting.
THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING
We are passionate about learning at CHS South and are driven by our quest to ensure that students take responsibility for their own futures by becoming creative, happy and successful, lifelong learners.
Motivating students to learn is paramount, and we strive ardently to ensure that students grasp all opportunities available to develop, extend and achieve. We encourage them to be motivated, curious and to know and understand how well they can improve. We believe that nurturing reflective learners and active leaders ensures that students can develop, progress, and have the resilience to compete at the highest levels in all areas of life.
SEND DEPARTMENT
Our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Department is dedicated to ensuring that every student with additional needs receives the support they require to thrive. Our knowledgeable and passionate team, composed of specialist teaching staff and Teaching Assistants,
work closely with students, parents, carers, staff, and other stakeholders to ensure that each student’s unique learning needs are fully met. Our goal is to ensure that all students can access the curriculum and achieve their full potential.
BUILDING SUCCESSFUL LIVES
CHS South has strong partnerships with many excellent post-16 providers in Manchester, and our students are much sought after in the competitive post-16 market. Careers and employability events are calendared throughout every school year ensuring our young people meet a diverse range of career providers and develop key employability skills through our Qualities of Success. There is a comprehensive transition package to ensure all our students get regular exposure to the local further education establishments including colleges, apprenticeship providers and employers in the city. Year 11 are supported with their college applications, and we work closely with the local authority to ensure all students have a successful transition into education, employment or training as they leave CHS South. At CHS South we are committed to ensuring that all our students reach their very best, compete successfully at a national level and exceed expectations.
“SUBJECT LEADERS ARE CLEAR ABOUT THE ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE THAT PUPILS NEED TO LEARN IN THEIR SUBJECT CURRICULUMS. TEACHERS HAVE STRONG SUBJECT KNOWLEDGE.”
THE JOURNEY FROM PRIMARY SCHOOL TO SECONDARY SCHOOL IS AN EXCITING TIME FOR STUDENTS. AT CHS SOUTH WE ENDEAVOUR TO ENSURE THAT THIS TRANSITION IS AS SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE.
Through our specialist Transition Team we provide a wide range of supportive activities for our partner primary schools to help Year 5 and 6 students feel confident about their move to secondary school. Our specialist team work alongside teachers in primary schools to provide many exciting projects. This means that many of the children at our partner primary schools will have experienced our school prior to beginning Year 7. In the summer term of Year 6, our Transition Team visit students in their primary schools, liaising with their teachers and introducing a group of Year 7 ‘buddies’ who will support them. In July, all incoming students are invited to attend an ‘Induction Day’ where they can enjoy lessons, are introduced to some of their teachers and make new friends.
Parents are also invited for an ‘Induction Evening’, to meet staff, to hear about how parents can be involved with the school and to discuss any concerns about starting High School.
PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES
We maintain high levels of contact with families. Members of staff often write to parents or carers, contact them by telephone or invite them in to discuss issues of importance about their child’s welfare and progress.Likewise, we encourage our families to contact us if they have any issues they would like to discuss. There are regular Parents’
Evenings throughout the school year where families can speak to their child’s subject teachers, and we ensure they are well represented on our local Governing body through our Parent Governors. We see our families as a vital part of our school community and encourage everyone to play a role in shaping the direction the direction we take.
ADMISSION NUMBER(S)
The school has an admission number of 240 for entry in Year 7. The school will accordingly admit this number of pupils if there are sufficient applications. When the school is oversubscribed, priority will be given to those children who meet the criteria in our admissions arrangements.
ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS
The local authority will process applications as part of their co-ordinated school offer system. If you would like your child to come to CHS South you should follow the Manchester application procedure for moving on to a High School. Details will be issued to you by your child’s Primary School or are available from:
Post: School Admissions, PO Box 532, Town Hall Extension, Manchester, M60 2LA
Tel: 0161 245 7166
Email: school.admissions@manchester.gov.uk
Web: www.manchester.gov.uk/admissions
If you want your child to secure a place at CHS South we strongly recommend that you choose CHS South as your first choice preference and submit your application to the local authority by their published deadline. Applications are welcome from the families of students who want to choose a truly comprehensive, creative, happy and
successful local school.
ADMISSION APPEALS
Manchester City Council’s Independent School Appeals Service manages the appeals process for CHS South through agreement with our Trust Board.
The Independent School Appeals Service ensures that all appeals lodged by the appropriate deadline are heard in accordance with the School Admission Appeals Code.
If you want to make an admission appeal please complete the online admission appeal form from the Manchester LA Admissions website. You may also download a paper copy of the Admissions Appeal Form which should be returned to the Independent School Appeals Service.
“PUPILS SAID THAT THEY FEEL SAFE IN SCHOOL. THEY TOLD INSPECTORS THAT THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO THEY CAN TALK TO IF THEY HAVE A PROBLEM.”
